Last week we told you about the bills making their way through the California Legislature concerning Climate Justice, Public Safety, Health Care, and Labor, and now we’ll talk about Housing and Homelessness, Economic Justice, and LGBTQ+ Rights!
Courage California’s 2024 Priority Legislation:
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS
Over 70% of Californians struggle with access to affordable housing, with housing prices the highest in the continental United States and rent for a one-bedroom apartment topping $2,700 per month. This contributes to the growth in homelessness, affecting more than 180,000 unhoused Californians right now.
To change the way California addresses housing overall, the legislature is considering a state constitutional amendment, ACA 10, which would recognize that every Californian has the fundamental human right to adequate housing on an equitable and non-discriminatory basis. ACA 10 would mandate that state and local governments take progressive steps in housing its population, including addressing affordability and discrimination. The legislature is also considering AB 1878 to improve tribal housing programs and AB 2584, which would stop corporations from buying single-family homes.
ACA 10 would need to be passed by ⅔ of the Senate to go to the voters. The other two bills are still waiting for votes in the Senate.
Lastly, in 2023, the Assembly passed AB 1657, a $10 billion affordable housing bond that is part of the legislature’s current negotiations with the Governor regarding the budget and the package of bonds that will appear on the November 5th ballot.
ECONOMIC JUSTICE
California may top in the nation for housing costs, but wages have not kept pace. The average income of a Californian household is $76,600 – sixth in the nation. Worse, the wealth gap is one of the worst in the nation, with households in the 90th percentile earning more than 10 times that in the lowest. The bottom 25% of Californians live at or below the poverty line.
To help mitigate this economic hardship, the Senate has passed SB 1061, which would prevent credit reporting agencies from placing medical debt – carried by more than 40% of Californians – on credit reports, which would make acquiring housing and transportation more accessible. The Assembly has passed AB 2263, which would fund a study investigating the feasibility and strategy for providing a guaranteed income to all.
AB 2263 still needs to be voted on by the Senate, while SB 1061 needs to be voted on by the Assembly.
LGBTQ+ RIGHTS
The nation is awash in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and hate crimes, and California is not immune. Several school districts have attempted to institute policies that would force school personnel to out their students to their families. AB 1955, the Support Academic Futures & Educators for Today’s Youth Act (SAFETY Act) would prohibit school districts from adopting such policies. AB 1955 is still waiting for a vote in the Senate.
You can make a difference! Find your legislators here and let them know about the bills you care about.